The Causes and the Effects
by LPearl
Summary: *HIATUS*After the Cell Games, Gohan follows his father's last wish by continuing to train. But seven years later, training is the last thing he thinks about. What could have happened during that time to make his focus shift so far away?
1. Chapter 1

**About to stick up the third chapter, and realized I never inserted the basic disclaimer. Oops. I don't own DBZ.**

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**He had always been a well-behaved young boy. He achieved both his mother's goals and his father's desires. He was loyal to every one of his guardians, even towards the reluctant ones. Despite the battles of the past this boy, now a young man, held the trust of both his father's friends and old enemies. One such reason was his passion, dedication, and devotion towards the others. From them, he had learned the values of being prepared. His self-made syllabus invoked a practiced patience of recounting his past experiences to improve any of his faults. His mother was once reluctant to allow this desire, but her observations forced her to concede. The woman knew how her son's only way to deal with their woes was to express them, and his doing so in a safe, yet aggressive, physical manner was far better than any other methods.

His devotion factored far more than anything else into his life. The young man had made a promise to his father, and this Son would follow it until he joined his father once again. One factor in the promise was to take his father's place. It had taken him months to recover from his father's death: spiritually, physically, and emotionally. He slowly overcame the guilt, far slower than his friends had. The self-forgiveness was the most difficult training in the decade past. It would probably become a constant training for his entire life. The thirteen year old was closer to nirvana than the well-trained monks.

Part of the self-forgiveness was resuming the agenda his father and he had last shared. He had even returned to the full lifestyle they had dedicated their selves to a few years ago. His hair was yellow as corn, and his eyes teal, as if the ocean itself could be seen within their depths. The return to this permanent stage was recent. It was the re-awakening of his dedication towards the Earth itself.

He was concluding his daily rituals with a deep meditation to counter the hubris people of power could develop. The young man faulted his own hubris as a primary flaw. During the end of said exercise, a voice echoed throughout his surroundings.

"Gohan!" A girl's voice sang from behind the trees. "Grandfather would like to have you over for lunch." A small chuckle followed. "I wouldn't mind myself. He promises he cooked enough food this time even." Gohan's eyes opened as a reluctant smile grew. Ever since he fought the android Cell, he took life far more seriously than other adolescents. This young girl, named Lime, somehow refilled his optimism. She had re-attained her own optimism after Cell's defeat and General Tao's retreat.

_"Maybe,"_ he thought, _"maybe I can do the same."_ It had been three years since the Cell Games, since Goku willingly left their dimension to save the world. For the first year, the Son household was filled with stress and regret. Gohan could barely function, and Chi-Chi struggled between pregnancy and depression. It had been their friends- Bulma and Krillin primarily- who formed the safety net which caught them. It was the simple comfort that held the group together. All the Z-fighters focused on the future, instead of dwelling on the past. That future is what saved Gohan. His little brother, Goten, reinforced the purpose Gohan had held since he was five years old. That purpose was to protect his loved ones. He reinforced the purpose by spending equal time with his first sensei, Piccolo, and his family. Gohan would be there for his younger brother. In order to do so, he had to be as strong as the father that boy would never know.

Lime factored into this renewed sense of self. She was the only person he had ever known who was his own age. They had met before the Cell Games, when he was living in his Super-Saiyan form. She visualized him as the blond-haired, blue-eyed boy. His plan to return to that form originated in a simple joke from her two years ago-

_"Man Gohan," the light jest began, "you were cuter as a blond. Being blond can also be an excuse for your short-term memory issues." _Gohan's first reaction was a light blush followed with a Son-styled head scratch. He later remembered why he had been blond when they met. If there was one thing he would have learned from his life's story was how one should be prepared, as cliché as the phrase may sound. Too many times he had not been ready enough. First with Vegeta, then with Frieza, Garlic Jr., and with the Androids; Gohan had always been a step behind everyone else. When he finally was a Super-Saiyan, he was an equal.

It took three months for his body to re-adapt to the constant energy level. Chi-Chi had thrown several fits during the first four.

_"Your black hair was so beautiful! Why did you go blond again? Is this for that gang?"_

_"They're the Z-fighters Mom. And no, I'm doing this for me."_

_"What about that citrus girl?"_

_"Just for me, Mom. It is for me, you, Goten, and-" Gohan had took a breath "—for Dad."_

That dispute had ended with a wavering sigh as Chi-Chi turned her eyes to the two year old replica of Goku. Both she and Gohan agreed on one thing—Goten would retain his innocence as long as possible. He would have the childhood his older brother never had.

"Gohan!" Lime's voice called again. Gohan's mind snapped to the present. Lime was giving him her typical half-grin accompanied by a light head shake. It was a sign she was internally chuckling at his serious disposition. The two created a happy medium with her spontaneity and his precaution. They formed the perfect balance between random and pre-meditated events. The combination kept both teenagers happy and their guardians even more so.

"I'm coming, Lime," Gohan replied. He rose and returned her grin. "I'll race ya! Winner gets dessert!" He then flew off to her house.

"That is so not fair! Get back here!" She cried.

"What? I can't hear you! Hurry up Lime!"

"Gohan, you better stop it! If you don't get your monkey butt back here I'll tell him not to make those rice balls again!"

That threat made him stop. Her grandfather made rice balls which rivaled even Chi-Chi's. They were the perfect mixture of salt and sugar, from a personal syrup the man made from the tree sap. The simple thought made his stomach rumble. Within seconds Gohan was back next to Lime.

"You wouldn't!" Gohan pleaded. Lime's half-grin turned cocky.

"You wouldn't know if you beat me there. Now why not travel like we humans would?" She arched an eyebrow.

"Fine," he said with a sigh, and lowered his feet back onto the Earth.

_"The things we do for food."_ He thought as he walked over to Lime. Her grin grew to a full smile as she grabbed her best friend's hand.

"Let's go already," she said with a tug. Gohan reacted with his well-known light blush and followed her to her grandfather's house.  
***

Gohan smiled softly as he flew off home as the sun began to set. It was the simple joys of life that allowed the smile. One must appreciate every bit of happiness, as there is never a promise on how long the feeling would last. It may sound pessimistic, but Gohan countered it by recognizing the basic facts of life encourage the happiness.

"Hey Mom, I'm back," Gohan called out as he landed in front of the tiny house. Before he could walk ten steps, a miniature Goku ran forth.

"Go-an!"

Goten contradicted the saying "One must walk before one can run". He was bolting around with a speed that countered the deer, and he was barely two. He bounced once, twice, and then straight into his brother's arms. His tail wagged slightly from being caught by his big brother. Gohan responded with a chuckle as he carried the kid back inside. His mother greeted him with a light hug.

"Excuse me, miss?" He joked. "You must keep a leash on him. You may be fined if he runs away again." Chi-Chi laughed.

"My apologies, sir, but I have yet to license him."

"You may want to consider inserting a tracking chip into him. It will reduce the stress of searching for him greatly."

"Sometimes I think I should have done that to his elder brother. One would think I'd have learned from all the times he wandered off without telling his mommy. In fact, just this morning I called out for him to come home for lunch, and he never responded. With a tracking chip I would have known exactly where he was." Her last comment made the act cease as Gohan once again assumed the trademarked Son pose.

"Sorry mom," Gohan apologized, "Lime invited me over. He grandfather cooked for us."

"Don't worry about it. How is she?"

The soft smile faded as he thought about the day with Lime. She looked paler than normal, and he could hear her labored breath after the jog into her grandfather's house. He would keep an eye on her when he visited next week. But, he could not mention that to Chi-Chi. His mother had a tendency to overreact at the simplest things.

"She's fine. She's helping the village set up to harvest. Some of them have been tense since I told them it looks like it may be a tough winter. The sky shouldn't be this dry until the season actually starts. Plus with the drought hanging on from the summer, there is nothing to hold on to the warm air." Gohan's eyes clouded slightly while rambling on about the climate. The physical sciences lingered in his studies. Chi-Chi fought a grin when her son unknowingly displayed his love for knowledge. Her bullying him to reach for the highest levels of learning remained in effect. Gohan studied because he liked to study. It may have been an adaptation to survive, but he possessed the trait. It may have been a compromise so she permitted his training. But he would pursue learning as much as he can just as he would pursue becoming the strongest he can.

The scholar/martial artist's stomach sounded, interrupting the meteorology-themed lecture.

"Well, dinner will be ready shortly. Your assignment, due tomorrow, has been outlined over on your desk." The mother told the son. The son nodded, set his brother onto a chair, and then headed off to follow his devotion toward her wishes. His teal eyes briefly grazed the dusk through the window.

_"Just like I promised Dad."_

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**I, like so many others, really do not like what happened to Gohan's character between the Cell and Buu Sagas. I can barely recognize him. He all but bullies the others into training him, but then says "screw it" despite promising to protect the Earth like Goku did.**

**So, this fanfic will outline what I think could have been used as a possible "why" to Gohan's personality change. **


	2. Chapter 2

Gohan was up by dawn. He would dress, grab a water bottle, and head east. There was something calming on seeing the sun rise over the water from atop the mountain. He would close his eyes, take a deep breath, and power up to a mere quarter of himself in his level one form the moment the sun broke the horizon.

It had been a ritual he had diligently performed ever since his arm had healed. He had learned how to live at Super Saiyan One, his next goal would be to live at the second level. Despite his training, he still held issues towards the emotions when he advanced. There was a deep need, a suppressed need, to fight whomever and whatever he saw. That Gohan would attack the weather if he could. He began the day by slowly easing his power up, primarily to avoid startling the others. The first time, when he began to train in such a level, he jolted his power up to its maximum. The sudden spike alarmed the entire team. Everyone from Piccolo to Vegeta, and even Tien and Chiaotzu rushed towards him. A few were amused, with the exception of the first two. Vegeta was primarily envious, and Piccolo was simply irritated.

"You woke me up for this?" had been the primary conversation.

_Damn it, do not reflect. Focus on the now. Ignore the nostalgia._ Gohan inhaled deeply and returned to the task at hand.

He would stop when he was on the verge of advancing. If he could not maintain his power at this stage, he knew he was not ready to go any higher. His first step involved some simple kung-fu he learned from Chiaotzu. He would then advance into the Kame style, then mix it with his original techniques he learned from the Namek a decade ago. His focus went from his stance to his hands as energy built. As if it was a reflex, his arms reached above his head and his hands crossed.

"Masenko-ha!" shouted out from his lips as the blast targeted the Earth ahead. Moving as fast as light itself, he then jumped towards the target.

"Ha!" He cried and deflected the energy into the atmosphere. He once again phased to counter that blast. It became a solo version of ping-pong. After several minutes of the game, Gohan flew to brace himself for impact.

"Ha!" He cried again and surrounded himself with an aura. When the beam struck, the aura absorbed the energy into itself, and then transferred the energy back into his body. He had been practicing this newly invented technique for weeks. The idea cropped up years ago after hearing how Androids 19 and 20 were able to suck in ki attacks through mechanical devices. Gohan had no desire to implant anything mechanical into his body, but he knew an ability such as that would yield a high advantage. While he yearned to test it in combat, his pride would not allow him to do so until it was perfected.

The next part of his morning routine involved basic combat, employing the technique both Piccolo and Tien would use in training. He closed his eyes, tensed his arms, and one Gohan became two Gohans. They turned to each other and bowed. Their kis jumped into Super Saiyan Two. The battle began. One punch was thrown, a rib was jabbed, a knee was blocked, and a kick made contact. Even the hidden spectator could barely define the difference between the two physical images. His face held the typical smirk. His dark eyes glowed with pride at the dedication his first true friend displayed. The battle continued for an hour, and the sun was clearly in the morning sky.

The two returned to the ground. Their bodies slowly powered down to the first level; and with a brief bow merged into one. Gohan turned his head slightly to the north.

"Piccolo, if you would like you can join my family for breakfast. We have plenty of water if you would like some."

"No thanks kid, I'm good," was the chuckled return. With his characteristic half-grin, the artificial blond took off back to his home.

Gohan was home by mid-morning, just in time to help his mother prep for lunch. His hours at home allotted to responsibility. He would clean, cook, and then study. During the few breaks he allowed himself, his entire focus became Goten. Gohan joked once with Dende he was in the process of developing the "Peter Pan" complex. The simple games of tag and ball-rolling gifted him with a simple, innocent joy.

One such game involved Goten knocking the ball back with his tail. It was an odd version of croquet. It was a bit odd to see a boy with a tail itself. When Bulma first removed Trunks's tail, it grew back within a week. It was not until he was four that it stopped growing back. The group came up with the theory stating the tail would be less likely to grow back the older the boys became. As there was no longer a moon, it was not a high concern. They had learned, however, there was no guarantee with anything either. De-tailing the Saiyan was an act of caution.

The brothers were playing the game. Gohan gentle rolled the ball to Goten, and Goten struck it back as hard as he could. Gohan then pushed the ball back to the younger one. The two were laughing; Goten at the game and Gohan at his brother's joy. The laughing stopped once Goten swung his tail to early, causing the ball to roll over it.

_It's not the chance of going Ape; it is the bipolar effects from how sensitive that tail is._ Gohan thought as the younger boy began to scream. He walked over to the child, and did the typical "Cheer up" performance: a funny face, some silly noises, and a basic tickle. It may be the short attention span, but it worked instantly. Goten began to giggle, the pain forgotten. Chi-Chi was just running out of the house when everything had calmed down. Her reaction was a simple smile. She told her oldest son every day how proud she was of him. Her expression was clear that at times like this, she would plan to say it more often.

Shortly after, it was clearly nap time. Gohan would return to studying for the following two, maybe three, hours. His agenda was not tedious as it was previously; the young man had found his passion in the theoretical physical science realm. He combined the mathematics behind the laws of physics with his own ability to unleash waves of pure energy as energy could not be created, merely converted, he began to draw up formulas to define why some people could naturally detect said changes. What matter went into the Z-fighters' moves. How did they convert the basic energy from carbohydrates and sugars into the attacks? How could that energy become light energy, one of the strongest of all energies, by the Solar Flare? Were the philosophers from Europe right? They thought it was possible, and that alone made it a reality. Gohan was a pure Materialist from all his training. There had to be some way to define and explain what he could do. Everything, anything, should be able to be brought down to a mathematical concept.

Gohan was determined to define it.

Before he knew, the clock sounded. It was approaching five, and he has promised to help Lime's grandfather set up for the upcoming harvest. He jumped up, pulled on his brown shoes, and called out to his mother.

"I'm off. I should be home by dinner Mom!"

"Okay Gohan. Be good." Chi-Chi responded.

"Yes, Mom!" was the reply.

It was approaching dusk when Gohan arrived at the small village. Lime ran out to greet her friend, smiling and waving as he descended from the sky. Upon landing, she grabbed his hand and led him towards the small fields, where her grandfather was working. It had been a dry summer, and the plants were sparse. The few producing food were healthy and well nourished. With a brief nod and his half-grin, Gohan kneeled onto the soil and began to weed with Lime. It was another schedule he followed. The simple, often tedious, tasks would bloom into the complex, cautious ones. The three people finished the simple task in a comfortable silence—there was little need for chatter in a calming environment.

The next step was choosing which plants to nourish, and which plants to remove. There were a few still showing signs of producing the crop, but several were clearly stagnant. The group proceeded to dig out the fruitless once and carted them to the end of the field in preparation for the next season's compost.

The chore took roughly an hour. Gohan paid slight attention to the tasks, his focus was on the coarse cough he heard from Lime and her grandfather.

_I wonder what is spreading. I'll swipe a saliva sample and take it to CC tomorrow. I'm sure Bulma will let me go into one of the biotech labs._ He rationalized with himself. A sense of calm was forced into the young man, but his teal eyes remained serious.

"Yoo-hoo! Gohan!"

Gohan snapped back into the physical plane to notice Lime waving a premature corn husk at him.

"Gramps is offering you some rice balls. Interested?" She offered. Her voice itself was a bit gravelly, barely alto. It was usually a soprano, soft voice. That change reinforced the need to go into the city.

"Thank you, but I do have to be on my way. I need to swing by Capsule Corp. I don't want to be too late."

"That is okay, Gohan," her grandfather said, "and thank you for your help." Gohan bowed.

"May I use your bathroom before I go?" He asked.

"Why certainly son," the grandfather responded. Gohan bowed again. He entered the house, went into the bathroom and sought out his true target: Lime's toothbrush. It had clearly been used just now, and the girl would simply assume she misplaced it. It would be returned to her by mid-morning at the latest.

Once he retrieved the evidence, Gohan walked out of the house. He gave Lime a hug; she ruffled his hair in return. The two shared a sibling-like grin, ending when Gohan took off towards the newly named Satan City.

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**Thought I should plant this in- do not worry, my GXV friends. The will be no romance with Lime.  
Well, I hope Chapter Two was well liked  
-LP**


	3. Chapter 3

**Three cheers for more rambling. Here's where the opening ends and the rising action begins.  
Insert standard disclaimer.

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**It had caused a slight uproar when Satan Hercule spouted about his proclaimed victory in the Cell Games. The public fell onto their knees, but the few remaining true martial artists mocked his false ascension. They knew the difference between energy waves and flash bombs. The public looked for entertainment and pseudo-plots in competitions; they no longer saw the arts of technique or the rhythm of true fighting power. Martial arts became a pastime, not a passion. The artists tried to revive the truth, but lost their faith in the eyes of their fellow men. They continued to train, yet they no longer shared their skills with the same pride they did nearly 20 years prior.

They did bring attention to themselves when the city renamed itself after Satan. But their voices did not reach further than Hercule, who laughed it off and reburied his knowledge into his mind, and allowed the ego to overshadow any passing truths. He goaded others as his face was painted onto posters, buildings, and billboards. He became the true leader of the city. While the reasoning was flawed, the conclusion resulted in benefits. Satan helped shift focus to the cleanliness of the city, pushed for protection of unions, and improved pensions for police officers. Despite his chauvinistic, over-the-top, character, he still showed a general goodness politicians lacked.

The others protested Satan's standing, but Gohan shrugged it off. He did not train to become a public figure. He trained to help his friends, not to seek fame. He did not even oppose his self-inflicted obscurity. He cherished it. By living with his family in such isolation, he fulfilled another one of his father's desires. The Sons were safe. That mattered far more than the possibility of "Son City". The thought did bring a chuckle to Gohan as he slid down to Capsule Corp. He was first greeted by Mr. Briefs, who waved at him quickly before turning back to his newest experiment, something that appeared to be an outdoor, portable, solar, card playing robot. As Bulma took over the primary merchandise, her father went back into his favorite position- he could tinker at random. Bulma was somehow able to manage the time of her job, her husband, and her son. She was who Gohan truly wanted to be before Cell. He wanted to be successful while remaining happy, a difficult task in the present. He wanted to be able to do something to help out the world which did not involve fighting.

"Hey Gohan, are you here to see the men?" Bulma asked after a welcoming hug and a smile. The grin faded once she noticed the seriousness in the young man's eyes. "Gohan?" She asked again.

"Huh?" The teal eyes were clouded before they focused on the older woman. He gave his head a quick shake. "Sorry Bulma, little things are distracting me today. Hopefully I don't have anything mathematical to do at home. Forgetting a negative is very dangerous." He tried to turn her concern into a light joke. He did not know if it was a successful attempt, but she did not question his reply. "Anyway, here," Gohan handed over Lime's tooth brush, "several people over in the village are getting sick. I just want to be on the safe side, so can you check to see what's been spreading."

"You are paranoid, Gohan. It's probably just a cold."

"Look, it's such a small village; they don't even have a real doctor."

"I know Gohan. I'm just telling you not to worry." Bulma simply sighed. "But I suppose you cannot help yourself. You are as meticulous as your mother is." In response, Gohan performed the Son-grin and head scratch. That action did encourage a laugh. While he may not even look like Goku when in his Super-Saiyan form, and his general attitude may be different, he still shared those habits. It was a touching relief.

"Well, while I'm here, where are the guys?" Gohan asked, "Trunks was mad last time I stopped by and did not say 'Hi'."

"Vegeta's in his private space. I think Trunks is out back." Bulma replied. Gohan grinned and headed out.

It was late when he finally returned to his home. Goten was already asleep, and Chi-Chi was frustrated, but no more so than normally. Gohan took the lecture with grace, apologized, and promised he would double his assignment to punish himself. His mother nodded firmly. It seemed like her firmness was more of a habit than her personality. She had evolved over the past few years. Gohan thought she just wanted him to believe she was the same, despite everything that had affected the family over the years. While he understood, he wished she would be honest with him.

_I suppose it is the difference of generations._

He excused himself and entered his room, switching from mathematics to biology. He dug throughout his texts to identify possible causes of the symptoms the villagers were facing. Calculating the area, climate, population, and season; the most likely cause would be Streptococcal pharyngitis, or a weak virus

_Both would be easy to treat. One required antibiotics, and the other would need mild symptomatic treatment. The only complication was most villagers were either exceedingly old, or very young. They immunization would be a bit more risky, but with the isolation of the village it may be required. The body can only be naturally safe for a certain amount of time. The virus could play a game of tag with the people, switching back and forth between them. There were chances for a complicated, possibly mutated, form of the bacteria, but basic amoxicillin would eliminate the threats. Bulma's right. I am overreacting. I need to work on that._

A burden had lifted itself from Gohan's shoulders. He knew one of his recently acquired flaws was how he instantly assumed the worst would happen.

_But after all these years, who can blame me, especially with health issues. There are only a handful of people who I haven't seen die or become seriously hurt. Those villagers make up most of them. _He sighed. It would probably be another sleepless night. He quickly checked to confirm his mother and brother were sleeping, and then flew out of the house to do some low ki-level training.

Dawn arrived as normally, and the eldest demi-Saiyan began his rite. He was able to transfer his thoughts into the day's training, and allowed his alter-ego to emerge. While it was far more powerful, it held an apathetic mind. There was little more than a sense of vengeance inside, the desire to become the strongest. The training for this level was not physical. It was an emotional training. Gohan felt a deep need to teach that side of him the reason for battle; something more than a simple yearning to fight.

He slowly opened his power, and allowed himself to ascend at a calmer rate. The joke was even the sonic boom was nothing compared to the nuclear explosion.

_Damn it. Enough with the tangents._

He rose to level two. But opposed to fighting, he entered a secluded grotto.

There was a young wolf family there. Gohan had been helping them gather food ever since one of the head she-wolfs injured herself in a fight. He smiled at the pack, and proceeded to check the open wound on her.

"Now, we know this is going to sting" came the quote as the young man unpacked his family's trademark tonic, "but it has to be done." He held up his finger and winked. The wolf whined, either at the application or at Gohan's cheesy performance. Gohan laughed. "Don't worry," he told her. "This should be the last time you'll get stung by this man-made bee. This is almost closed up. I'll bandage it up after to be on the safe side. Just promise me you will not chew it off like that runt did." Gohan turned and sent a false glare to one of the pups. The pup seemed to understand. He almost looked guilty.

The idea for this working in nature was spurred originally by Piccolo. He recounted how Gohan was encouraged to fight to protect others. In the beginning of his wilderness training, the first time he actually fought something was to prevent the tyrannosaurus from harming the brontosaurus he had been caring for. His failure then forced him to train more. Sometimes, it seemed he could communicate better with the wildlife more than he did with the domestic world. That inspired Piccolo to first suggest to his former pupil to use caring for nature in his higher form as a way to infuse a passion surpassing the desire to be the strongest.

"_After all,"_ Piccalo had said, _"the world itself does not assume anything about you. It will see you for who you truly are kid. She will see you as kind-hearted person willing to help care for her children."_

Three of those children were currently trying to tempt the kind-hearted person into playing a game, a mock hunt. The pups jokingly sought out rabbits and other prey, pouncing on to them then letting them go, only to pounce onto them again. The game caused Gohan to chuckle every time.

"Sorry guys, I have to go play with my biological brother. Will you look after your mom for me?" One of the pups yipped, as if to say "Yes sir!" and salute. Gohan granted him a quick ear-scratch, and then flew away from his sanctuary, deciding to detour to Capsule Corp. He made a quick stop to power down to level one. Even those untrained could recognize his energy, and it frightened them. Vegeta once compared it to an animal of prey being frightened by a predator. It was instinctual. They may not know why, but they will naturally be wary around him in that stage.

For some unknown reason, Vegeta assumed a father-like role to Gohan. He slowly showed more emotion towards the younger Saiyan. The younger Saiyan did not know how to address the change. One could only guess the causes: Mirai Trunk's death, the forced alliance from the years past, or perhaps the loss of his rival. Vegeta even began to call him by name, something he seldom did even to his wife.

The two greeted each other with a nod as Gohan entered the biotech lab. He walked up to Bulma with a grin on his face. The grin faded when he saw the look on Bulma's eyes.

"Gohan—"she began with a tired voice. He grew tense.

"What does she have Bulma?"

"She has the heart virus your father had. We no longer have the medication Mirai Trunks brought for us."

"So that means-" Gohan gulped, and his ki crackled.

"It means we need to isolate her village and work to discover some way to counter it." She bit her lip. "Don't worry Gohan, we can do it."

_I hope so._

**Well, now we get to start the shift. How's everything going so far?**


	4. Chapter 4

**And I again forgot the disclaimer initially. Oops. Blame it on the biochem test. I do not own DB/DBZ**

"What does she have Bulma?"

"She has the heart virus your father had. We no longer have the medication Mirai Trunks brought for us."  
"So that means-" Gohan gulped, and his ki crackled.  
"It means we need to isolate her village and work to discover some way to counter it." She bit her lip. "Don't worry Gohan, we can do it."

"But Bulma—" Gohan struggled to phrase his sentiments "—she is not showing any of the symptoms Dad was. It has seemed more like a respiratory problem than a cardiac problem."

"It is probably because your father's body was able to hold the virus off until it climaxed. He probably did show some symptoms, but they would easily be confused with the weariness accompanying over-exertion. We all expected you guys to be drained. With Lime and her neighbors showing these symptoms, you recognized all of them as the villagers normally do not have such characteristics.

"Another possibility is how early you caught this. It could be in the earliest stage, before the virus has enough time to build up and focus its attacks." Bulma tapped her finger onto her chin, her traditional pondering stance. "I will be honest with you Gohan; there could also be negative reasons." Gohan blanched.

"Like what? Tell me Bulma!" Gohan clenched his fists, the reaction to his first burst of anger since the Sayians first attacked. Positive or negative, it worked to keep himself in check. Bulma's eyes expressed an uncertainty. "Damn it! Just tell me." Gohan took a breath. "Please?"

Bulma sighed.

"It could be the natural environment factoring in. Her village is very old, and if the insulation of the buildings could be asbestos-based. That alone would weaken the lungs and leave them more vulnerable. This could even be a mutated virus. I'll have to extend the test, but both her grandfather and her would need to come in so I could do something more precise than the saliva test. We'll need some blood work to confirm the tests. It may be a false alarm." Bulma reached over to ruffle the boy's hair. "So don't worry yet, Gohan. You of all people should know that pessimism can only make things worse." Gohan looked up to the woman who he knew for practically his entire life. All he could do was nod and say—

"You're right. I'll try to get them here sometime today. I'll tell you when." He then turned to fly back to East District 439.

It startled Bulma how no matter how often she saw the young man, he always looked older. She couldn't help but wonder, like so many of the others, what he would have been like had Goku lived. The first worry was he would resemble the Gohan from Mirai Trunk's time, who used guilt as his motivation to become stronger. This Gohan seemed to have passed any guilt. He seldom was rash, often built a meticulous plan before enacting any event. He was one of the few who recognized his personal faults and addressed them directly. From his fear, to his rashness, and to the most dangerous- pride; each one was attacked head on. At first, the boy flawed in differentiating confidence from pride, he even did not show any in his intelligence. It took months to overcome, but the boy did nonetheless. Gohan accepted his physical and mental strengths. He was the strongest man in the world, and one of the few certified geniuses. He was even offered to enroll in MENSA, but did not want to draw the attention to himself.

Trunks hopped into the room, snapping Bulma's thoughts into the present and for her on family. She grinned at her son, and there was one more Gohan-related thought running through her mind.

_"Trunks, you have the best role-model in the world in that young man. I can only hope you view him in the same light your future self did."  
__

"Lime! Lime! Where are you?" Gohan began to call out from the moment he flew over her village. He had Nimbus in tow, the friendly cloud that happily provided an escort service.

"Lime!" He called out once again. The greeting he was granted raised the concern inside of him.

"Gohan, how are you?" Lime's voice attempted to reply. It was worse than the previous day, and she displayed a clear asphyxiation with a light sweat. "Would you mind coming back later? I'm not feeling so well."

Gohan's teal eyes flashed at the request.

"Actually, that's why I'm here. I'm taking you and your grandfather into the city to see Bulma, my friend from Caplsule Corp. She's going to run a blood test on you two. You guys have been ill for over a week, and I want to make sure you two are okay." He ordered. His voice was firm, and Lime recognized the authority he seldom displayed. She also knew she could not debate his request.

"Okay Gohan, I'll go get my Gramps. I gather we'll be taking Nimbus," she replied with a gesture towards the cloud. Her expression showed concern, not for herself, but for her friend. Gohan's posture was tense, a posture which was seldom seen by her village.

_"Actually, I think I only noticed in when he stood up to General Tao," _she thought as she walked into the hut. Her Gramps looked feverish, with his eyes unfocused. Lime began to realize their health could be as severe as her best friend suspected. Yet, Gohan's concern comforted Lime. She sometimes viewed him as a guardian angel. It was awkward, as she also began to develop a crush on him.

"He may not show off like the others our age, but that makes him even more attractive." She chuckled to herself.

"Gramps," Lime spoke up again. "Gohan is going to take us into the city for a check-up. He's nervous we may have something a bit more serious than a cold. By the sound of his voice, it may just be an infection. But we'll want those anti-biotic drugs Ms. Briefs could give us. It would make us feel better within the week." Her Gramps nodded.

"He's such a mature young lad. We are so blessed he looks out for us. I agree with him. It is always disappointing when we martial artists are imbedded for a simple case of strep." The old man viewed unpreventable problems calmly. It was one of the teachings his master taught him when he himself was a boy. Fretting will decrease one's possibility of success. Yet, his eyes showed he was not forcing himself to be naive. The man's expression displayed an awareness of his health. The two men exchanged a nod as they helped Lime board Nimbus. She would sink slightly, as Nimbus still was not fond of her "playing Cell" with her neighbors. It forgave her slightly every time, and her Gramps could prop himself on the cloud without a problem. Gohan chuckled slightly at it, the simple weight-lifter the small joke was. It did not comfort him, just allowed him to take a deep breath and calm his temper.

_Better than nothing, _he thought.

With that sentiment in his mind and another deep breath, Gohan lead the cloud and its passengers into the City. All he could hope for was this entire thing was a false alarm. As, at least in his mind, this could turn into another death he should have been able to prevent.

* * *

**Well guys? More detail? Less?  
This tale will be ten chapters at the absolute max, so I'm hoping not to have too much in terms of side stories. A few references to the authentic plot, but not so much recollection that goes out of hand. But if you see a section that calls for a reminissance, let me know.  
Hope you like it!  
LPearl**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey strangers. I was browsing through my old flash drives, and found this. The idea plus my love for TeamFourStar allowed guilty pleasure to renew.  
So, summary of what happened- Gohan is about 14, maybe 15 years old, and is still dedicated to his training. He lives in his SS1 form, and is trying to find a way to control his mindset in the SS2 level through meditation and caring for the animals in the wild. He is also close friends with Lime and the villagers. Unfortunately, a mutated version of the heart virus has spread throughout the small village so Gohan turns to the Briefs for help. We begin here with Bulma's scientific breakthough.**

**I do not own DB/DBZ/DBGT. **

* * *

Unfortunately, it had not been a false alarm. Lime and her Grandpa both had the virus, as did nearly half her village.

Within the week, Capsule Corp and the local hospitals set up a health clinic in the village, providing tests and treatment for the astounding number of people who had been infected by the virus, primarily the very old and the very young. Those uninfected wore safety masks in attempts to prevent their own infection, but studies were beginning to show the virus entered through open wounds through the skin. The residents with the most severe symptoms were brought to CC in West City, where they were isolated and received higher treatment.

"It does explain how easily it spread," Dr. Briefs summarized after discovering the virus's high resilience to fluids. "It may not multiply as quickly as other viruses, yet it can withstand all known medication. It has no preference for any blood type or sugar levels; it does not favor any race, sex, or age."

"I really do not know how we can treat this Dad," Bulma said through her mask after another person was diagnosed with the virus. "We could try to increase the strength of the individual's immune system, so it can fight of the virus itself. The antibiotics seem to help with the symptoms, but without the symptoms clearly displayed, we have no way of telling the status of the virus.

"I wish there was a clear-cut method of addressing this. Damn it!" Bulma slammed her fists into the desk, rattling the test tubes.

"Be careful, Bulma!" Her father cried. Dr. Briefs was normally a calm, collected man. Even during the dangerous space travels of Goku; the scientist had held a smooth demeanor. However, the increasing number of threatened lives struck him. There were already several younger children under a high alert. It broke his heart to confine them. The Briefs gave the children as much as they could: toys, books, television, and tasty medicine. The only thing they could not do was allow the children to go back to their families. Gohan himself had been confined into one of the adjourning rooms. He had shown no reaction towards the idea; he neither favored nor opposed it. He had refused one suggestion from Bulma back when he was brought into the lab.

_"I'm staying at this level. There is no reason for me to revert back to my original power until we know if I am infected."_

_"But Gohan, if you stay a Super Saiyan, the virus will accelerate. We will not be able to help you if you don't change back."_

_"If I am diagnosed positive, I will. But we have all learned not to react too quickly."_

_"This is not reacting too quickly, this is being cautious!"_

Her father was able to address every infection as equal, but she could not. Her concern was focused on the three blood samples she almost knocked over. They were the samples of the Sons' blood. Gohan had spent hours with the villagers, and experience has taught them all how even Saiyans' T-cells could only do so much. Considering the format of the virus, it was possible the hybrids could be at an even greater risk. They naturally had a higher blood pressure, and their cells reproduced and died at a far greater pace. It was why Goku had been struck so harshly by the original virus; it was able to reproduce at the unfathomable pace.

_Their most valuable advantage is also their most dangerous curse. _Bulma could not help but sigh. She tensed her shoulders and stiffed her resolve. She had lost count of how many of her friends she had to sit back and watch their deaths. Gohan was one of the few, if not the only one, who had yet to be forced into the other Dimension.

_I have not been able to help save the others, but I will save you, Gohan. I promise._

That night, Bulma returned into her lab. There was no promise if the results were in, but she could not sleep. Part of her subconscious refused to grant her permission. It had been a long day, and the tired muscles begged for sympathy. She could not grant it. The only thing to do so was the possibility of three negative results. She could then let Gohan leave his room, and possibly aid in studying the virus.

The six test tubes were positioned, three controls sitting next to the three mixed with a chemical to attract any signs of the virus. The results elicited a sigh of relief. The variables did not differ from the controls. Neither showed any signs of coloring, neither the natural nor the stimulated one. The cells had not been infected. Bulma's heart swelled with relief. Her family was safe. The friend in her was on the verge of running down the hallway and cheering, yet the scientist in her felt the urge to check beyond the cells for anything else. If the original virus had mutated, this one may have mutated too. Chi-chi and Goten's blood did not have anything invading the blood stream. Yet when Bulma looked directly at the cells in Gohan's blood, she had to stifle a gasp.

_How is it doing that? The virus is there. But—somehow the cells are rejecting it. The virus is simply bouncing off the red blood cells. It looks like—the plasma is isolating the virus. Wait—that's it!"_

Bulma bounced away from the table to the large filing cabinet containing the medical records of those infected, including Goku's. Her fingers dug through the paperwork until ripping out the file on Goku's blood, followed by one of a random person. She bolted back to the table, slapping the files next to Gohan's. Comparing the two resulted in her breath being caught in her throat.

_Vegeta once mentioned to me that Gohan held an advantage for being only partially Saiyan, and that as the human body alone was naturally weaker, it could adapt faster. It is why he could advance to the second stage before the others. His body will recover quicker, as it is used to recovering. That allowed him to benefit from the Saiyan trait of strengthening from injuries. He could simply do it faster. It is as if Gohan has the best genes from each race. This goes down to his blood. _She was forced from her thoughts with a jump.

"Woman!" Vegeta called. Bulma's eyes rose to meet with his. A smile broke her tired face.

"You were right," she whispered. Vegeta's eyebrow arched. "He is invincible. Look," she gestured for him to join, "the main difference between the Saiyans and humans, in terms of blood, is the ratio of plasma to red blood cells. While the higher percentage of blood cells to blood plasma helps in the physical endurance, there is nothing to shield the blood cells themselves. The blood reproduces fast enough to recover from most aliments and any loss, but if it is contaminated, the virus will only spread faster. Gohan has the plasma, but it is much stronger than human plasma. He has the virus," Bulma held back her surprise when she saw her husband's face pale and his eyes widen, "but the plasma is able to hold it back, not just from the blood but from the lungs too. That plasma has formed the same barrier to protect the lungs as Gohan uses to protect everyone from ki blasts. The Saiyan trait he holds is the fast mitosis of the blood cells. They reproduce so quickly, and as they are not infected they are isolating the virus and pushing it out. Without the virus in any of them, the white blood cells are able to kill the virus off. It is like a 100-1 battle.

"Gohan may save us all again. If we can just use his blood plasma as a treatment, or, even better, as a vaccine, we could easily save the people who have not yet progressed to the contamination of the lungs." Bulma stopped there. She had been speaking at such a speed her throat was sore. Her eyes kept the glow about them; her face was brighter than it had been in the past two weeks.

"We have to go get him! Quick!" She bolted down into the hallway, yet Vegeta was there to greet her, and opened the door. The young, blond man was sitting calmly inside the unwanted prison, levitating slightly in a deep meditation.

"Boy!" Vegeta yelled, "Get your butt up and follow us." Gohan's eyes remained closed, but he still responded.

"This news will either be very good, or very bad."

"It's very, very good! It may be the best news in eons!" Bulma cried out and ran towards her godson. She fell to her knees and embraced him. "You're okay! This virus cannot do a thing to you." She caught her breath. "In fact, even though it is in your blood-" Gohan's eyes opened with a look of shock, "-but your blood has trapped it away from the cells and it is dying off on its own! Look, come to the lab. I can show it to you easily there."

**  
"Wow, that's—wow," Gohan stuttered. According to Bulma, there was half as many of the virus than when she had looked a mere hour ago. The virus had a very short natural life span, and the plasm kept squeezing tighter and tighter onto the remaining ones. The blood,_ his_ blood, was working far more efficiently than any known medication could.

_Scary, but it does make sense. _He thought to himself. Dr. Briefs had been unsurprised by the discovery, and rambled about how the hybrid's blood could be used as a treatment for others, but there would be a long waiting list. He mentioned it would go to the youngest children, the infected, and then the uninfected. It would be an immunization trick, for those under the age of ten.

It was the mention of the age which brought Gohan to full alert.

"Wait!" He cried. "What about Lime and her Grandpa! They are both infected! Why can't they get help too?" One of the doctors on duty looked away from the angry teal eyes.

"We'll—try. But, boy, it would be unfair to the others whom are further along to be denied for the sake of two people, just because you know those two and not the hundred others."

Gohan took a deep breath, nodded, and burst into power. He flew at an unfathomable speed to get to his friend.

The young man felt as if his world was falling apart. He was on the verge of bursting. He had to calm down. He took a detour on his way to Lime's. He stopped by the grotto, his sacred spot. The place still put Gohan in awe. The trees created a calm, cool temperature. The sun peaked through the leaves and reflected off the brook, creating a prism dancing on the green. It was what the Earth, to him, should look like. While the wolves had enemies, primarily their prey, nature knew the wonders they brought to her world. A wolf never tried to overstep its boundaries. It knew the purpose it held, and instead of trying to achieve more, it strived to achieve the purpose with a grace and high degree that overshadowed a human's destiny. The other animals held great respect for their kind, and the human society attempted to mock it. That society sought to best the others in contests: economical, athletic, and technological ones, but it failed to match the pack in the most basic aspect- loyalty.

"Hey boy," Gohan greeted one of the playful pups. "How's Mom doing?" The pup whined a bit and then walked over to the she-wolf. The she-wolf could stand up and walk again, plus the wound lost all signs of infection.

"_Well, at least I can do one thing right."_ He smiled softly to pack, feeling far calmer than he had in the past six days. He sat down next to the she-wolf, with his chin resting on his knees as they all watched the youngest of the pups play.

"What can I do?" He asked aloud. One of the wolves turned to him. "Have I become strong for nothing? I can defeat a biological android programmed to destroy the world, and yet I can do nothing to combat a virus? It is just so frustrating!" Gohan slammed his fist into the ground, creating a tremor to surge through the Earth. The pack leader gave him a glare, the pups ceased playing, and the she-wolf he was rambling to simply turned to him and sighed. The hybrid flushed slightly and mumbled his apology. The wolves returned to their tasks, but the she-wolf nuzzled him slightly, as if to say "I understand."

_"In a way, she would. She strives to help her pack, and yet she is forced to be left behind until she can recover. She knows she could help, and she wants to help. But it is something simple that prevents her. It would have taken her forever if I had not cleaned her wound and given her the vitamins—wait, could a solution really be so simple?" _Gohan turned to the she-wolf.

"You are a genius! Thank you!" He exclaimed. The wolf gave out a laughing pant as the young man leapt into the air. "You guys are great! If this works out as well as I think it should, you will be having some nice steak, courtesy of me!" The wolves howled in agreement as Gohan leapt into the air, allowed his power to surge, and soared over to the village.  
_

"Lime!" Gohan cried as he landed into her village. He ran into the quarantine area, without his mask, and almost ran into Lime literally.

"Gohan? What happened? Why aren't you masked?" Lime asked. She was looking even worse than the last time. Her skin was sallow, with her lips dry and purple. She was taking shallow breaths, but what scared Gohan the most was her eyes- they looked flat, almost to the point of being dead.

_"No, Gohan, do not think like that. Stay positive. You can save her."_

"Lime, we have found a possible medication at CC. It's still being perfected, but I promise I will find a way to save you. You have done so much for me, and I refuse to let you down too." He then did something he rarely did to anyone ever since his father had died. He embraced her firmly, putting his forehead against hers. Lime tore herself away. She looked up to meet his eyes, which displayed a confusion and sadness.

"Stop it Gohan, you're going to get sick."

Gohan let out a relieved sigh. He had feared she had withdrawn for a different reason, one far beyond concern.

"That's the thing Lime. We tested me for the virus, as I have been in and out of this village for the past several years. It turns out I do have the virus." His friend's eyes bulged in horror. "But I cannot get infected by the virus. It's the whole Saiyan thing." He gave out the Son family's famous half grin. "Neat, eh?" Gohan watched Lime's face process the story and react. Her expression went from confusion, to admiration with hope, and then settled down into curiousity.

"But didn't Goku get sick?"

"Yeah, but that's because the Saiyan blood focuses more on reproducing the blood cells, they do not have the plasma to hold everything together. So while the cells may be strong, they do not have anything to hold the virus off. So the speedy growth of cells hurts more than it helps. The human half of me has the plasma, which reproduces just as quickly as the other cells. Plus, my blood cells have strength similar to the Saiyan in me. So, hopefully, my blood will be able to help hold the virus back until the patient's blood cells can recover.

"They're working on discovering the why behind it over at CC. While there will be a line, and it may take another week to be processed, but I promise, you and your grandfather will be treated." Gohan saw Lime's eyes awaken. She jumped back into his arms, gave him a friendly kiss on the cheek, and exhaled a soft, happy sigh. Without even knowing it, Gohan had given his friend one of the strongest disease fighters known—hope.


End file.
